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Promoting diversity

Successful clubs and community organisations have inclusivity at their core. This section details how to create a welcoming and inclusive environment.

It explores the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010. It's closely aligned with Sport England and their partners’ commitments to make physical activity enjoyable for all.  

Our guidance explores how to engage women and girls, disabled people, older adults, the LGBTQ+ community, ethnically diverse groups, children and young people, and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. 

Organisations need to understand and communicate with their communities, to determine what they need. This may mean developing a family offer, considering the roles of parents and carers, offering hardship funds, or making facilities more accessible.  

To see how other organisations have created inclusive environments, take a look at the ‘Your stories’ section.  

Also, consider attending one of our workshops on values and culture, creating an inclusive environment or positive experiences. 

Your stories Learning opportunities

Creating an inclusive culture

A woman is doing a yoga pose on a mat, next to a young girl who is copying her - their heads are raised and both are smiling

Come on in, everyone's welcome

Learn about protected characteristics, how to make different audiences feel welcome and how the Equality Act impacts what you do as an organisation.

Read on

Understanding and communicating with people

Three men congratulate each other after a game of football on a sports field - the first man has his arm around the second man, who shakes hands with the third man

Communication is key

A happy group is a productive group and a motivated one. We've got advice on how to learn more about your people, how to keep them involved, what might cause them to not come back and how to avoid that happening.

Read more

Working with different groups

Woman running in the park

We're here for everyone

How to benefit from diversity and provide for the different groups of people that want to get active. Which is, well, everyone!

Get the lowdown

Diversifying your offer

Children on bikes mill around, looking excited

Showing you the way

Advice and examples of how organisations are working with participants to provide inclusive sport and physical activity opportunities.

Dive in

Creating accessible facilities

Large group of older people at a fitness group seated in a circle

Welcoming everyone to your group

Are your facilities suitable for everyone... or could you be excluding some groups? 

This page is designed to make you reflect on whether your facilities are as accessible as they could be. 

Get the lowdown